You’ve built your business like a master craftsman—now it’s time to plan your handoff. Doescher Group CFO, Kevin Rogner shares how business owners, specifially those in construction and trades, can create a step-by-step exit strategy that protects value, rewards key people, and ensures a smooth transition into the next chapter.

What started in 2023 as an experiment of bringing together business owners in a confidential, no-pressure environment has grown into an annual gathering of business owners and their professional advisers seeking to navigate the terrain of building, scaling, and eventually exiting their companies.

We’re thrilled to announce the 3rd Annual Business Owner Forum, happening Thursday, November 13, 2025, from 8:00 AM – 12:00 PM at the beautiful Orchard Lake Country Club in Southeast Michigan.

From a one-man band to a full team, Doescher Group continues to grow. With Doescher Advisors joining us, we now offer executive coaching alongside our Evolve and Exit services to better serve self-made business owners.

Traveling just behind the leader offers a unique perspective. From systems to team growth, Sandy shares the hidden trail markers she’s seen that help business owners build companies that run without them.

What can a kid-run lemonade stand teach us about running a successful business? From finding customers to building a brand, making smart investments, and scaling wisely, these lighthearted lessons from my daughters’ summer stand might surprise you with their real-world relevance.

The automotive industry’s once-reliable supply chains are facing unprecedented challenges—from semiconductor shortages to rising logistics costs and tariffs. For small to mid-sized suppliers, these disruptions create ripple effects that can choke cash flow and threaten survival. Learn how to protect your business and keep operations moving, even in uncertain times.

Culture isn’t fluff — it’s foundational. From slashing turnover to boosting valuation at sale, the strength of your company culture has real financial consequences. In this post, we unpack how core values drive performance, retention, and reputation — and why culture should be a strategic priority, not a side note.

Politics might not be your favorite topic, but it’s one your business can’t afford to ignore. From shifting subsidies to evolving regulations, political forces can significantly impact your company’s value and stability. In this blog post, we explore how to recognize political vulnerabilities in your business model, avoid overreliance on temporary programs, and ask the right questions to safeguard your future.

International trade might seem like a distant concept, but its effects are closer to home than you think. In the US or North America, there are simply many items that cannot be acquired locally. Our interdependence is here to stay. Even if you yourself don’t import or export something, your suppliers or clients probably do, and this can have a big impact on your bottom line.

Running a small business means juggling endless tasks, but AI can help you work smarter, not harder. AI isn’t about replacing people—it’s about eliminating repetitive, time-consuming tasks so you can focus on growing your business.

Learn how to automate emails, streamline research, and simplify your to-do list with AI—no tech expertise required!

With tax law changes looming in 2025, business owners need to plan ahead. Discover six proactive tax strategies to maximize savings, reduce uncertainty, and keep more cash in your pocket.

In today's fast-paced world, high-performing teams rely on powerful tools to stay organized and efficient. Discover the secret weapon that can transform your team's workflow: a Work Management System (WMS).

Learn how a WMS can boost communication, streamline projects, and unlock unprecedented levels of productivity. This blog post will explore the key benefits of implementing a WMS and guide you in choosing the right solution for your business needs.

As an entrepreneur, you probably got where you are based on a combination of hard work, passion, and trusting yourself. You had to rely on your gut and your instincts to make brilliant choices. 

But there are two moments in your entrepreneurial journey where those very things can be your downfall, and they both have to do with keeping the right key performers on your team.

Are you a busy entrepreneur drowning in a sea of administrative tasks? You're not alone. One business owner found themselves working late nights and sacrificing precious family time. But by making a strategic decision to delegate, they reclaimed their time and supercharged their business. Learn how they did it and discover 10 ways you can too.

As a successful business owner, you're wearing many hats - perhaps too many. From managing your team to handling finances and marketing, nearly every task seems to demand your attention. What if there was a way to lighten your load without sacrificing quality or productivity? The answer lies in automation.

If you’re like most business owners we work with, by the time you think about hiring someone to support you, you probably already feel pretty stressed and overloaded. Maybe you wish you’d hired someone six months ago!  It’s tricky because hiring someone to help (who you’ll have to train), is often just one more daunting task to business owners who already feel stretched too thin.

Here’s a glimpse of some simple tasks that you can get off your plate immediately to open up more time in your life and business for the things that matter.

Overall, if your business is growing and sales are coming in, you have a feeling that your sales team is performing well. If you’re getting new inquiries, you probably have a sense that your marketing efforts are working. Without a CRM in place, the owner will be mostly leading their salesperson off of how things feel, rather than based on reality. With a CRM, key metrics will be defined that allow leaders to point their teams in the right direction of the actions that lead to new business.

Whether we believe it or not, we are all creative at heart. We are all capable of creating things that are unique to who we are and what we love to do.

What does a book about the battles of the creative process have to do with my company?

Innovation. Ambition. Passion. Vision. Perseverance.

All words that accurately describe the entrepreneurial spirit and the business owners we encounter on a daily basis.

Personally, I find the perseverance of business owners to be the most impressive trait, as well as the most valuable asset to their success.

What it takes to become great in this world is a willingness to continue when the going gets tough. And to keep going, when it gets tougher.

We speak with so many owners that have found themselves in situations where the way forward was incredibly uncertain.

Maybe you relate?